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theguardian.com
‘DM your details’: Travellers warned of scam airline accounts as Iran war disrupts flights
Criminals exploiting Middle East crisis by targeting customers seeking help or refunds from affected carriersYour flight has been delayed as a result of the Middle East crisis and you want to find out what’s happening, so you go online for an answer. You find a social media account run by the airline you are booked with and post a question, and get a reply offering help.You’re asked to send a direct message with details, which seems reasonable. A conversation starts and you are told to give your phone number as you may be due compensation. This is where it all starts going wrong: instead of being given money, you have it taken. Although it looked official, the account that replied was a scam. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘No one saw this coming’: will the surprise Telegraph winner change the paper’s direction?
Daily Mail owner could take long-term hit after being gazumped at the 11th hour by Germany’s Axel SpringerThe day after Lord Rothermere was gazumped in his pursuit of the Telegraph by Axel Springer’s £575m knockout offer, the Daily Mail owner was pictured beaming at Rupert Murdoch’s 95th birthday party in New York.As guests at the star-studded black tie celebration at The Grill in Manhattan listened to Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman sing numbers such as Fly Me to the Moon, the 58-year-old media mogul may have been wondering how his almost three-decade dream to unite the titles within one right-leaning stable had fallen at the final hurdle. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
DOJ to appeal judge's block of subpoenas to Fed in Jerome Powell criminal investigation
The Department of Justice's appeal likely will cause Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to remain in his post beyond the end of his term.
cnbc.com
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Strait of Hormuz: 'Don't need to worry about it'
The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical chokepoint for oil shipments, has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran.
cnbc.com
Trump says he thinks Russian leader Putin is helping Iran in war
Russian leaders told President Trump they aren't sharing intelligence with Iran as it fights the U.S. and Israel, special envoy Steve Witkoff said this week.
bbc.com
Banknotes, beavers and a very British backlash
Politicians are furious Churchill will be replaced on banknotes. The RSPCA wants rats and pigeons to feature.
bbc.com
'Gruesome' war bets fuel calls for crackdown on prediction markets
Predictions markets have hosted millions of dollars of bets related to the war in Iran.
cnbc.com
Trump fundraising pitch features U.S. soldiers killed in Iran war
The email solicitation to benefit Trump’s PAC also offers donors “private national security briefings.”
cnbc.com
Iran threatens to retaliate against neighbors; Trump urges countries to assist in securing Strait of Hormuz
President Trump said in a Truth Social post that he directed U.S. Central Command to execute a bombing raid that "obliterated" military targets on Kharg Island.
cnbc.com
Fertitta in weekend deal talks to acquire Caesars, while billionaire Carl Icahn waits in the wings
The deal, if it gets done, would not be finalized until early April and is not expected to close until 2027.
bbc.com
Trump urges UK and other nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz
The US president says he hopes China, France, Japan and South Korea will also send ships to defend the key oil shipping route.
theguardian.com
This CEO warns that Democratic voters are most at risk from automation | Arwa Mahdawi
Palantir’s CEO says the platforms will have a vast effect on the electoral landscape … especially women. Is it a warning or a sales pitch?Don’t you just love AI? It has inundated the internet with slop, destabilized the concept of truth, and made it much easier to bomb people. And that’s just the beginning. As we look towards the future of our brave new world, AI might also disrupt all those pesky highly-educated female voters who keep casting a ballot for Democrats.To be clear: that assessment isn’t coming from me, a highly exhausted female who wishes the Democrats would work a little harder for people’s votes. Rather, it’s coming from one of the key architects of our glorious AI-driven economy: Alex Karp, the co-founder and CEO of tech firm Palantir.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump administration to be paid $10bn for brokering TikTok deal
Exceptionally rare ‘fee’ to be paid by investors who took control of US operations from Chinese parent companyDonald Trump’s administration is reportedly poised to be paid $10bn by investors as part of a deal to create a US-controlled version of TikTok.The $10bn, considered by the US government as a sort of transaction fee, will be paid by the administration-friendly investors who took control of TikTok’s US operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, according to reporting that first appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Daylight robbery’: M1 drivers boggle at the rising price of fuel
Woodall services near Sheffield is now one of the UK’s most expensive pit stops, with petrol at 172.9p a litreMiddle East crisis – live updatesOpened in 1968, Woodall services on the M1 near Sheffield is Yorkshire’s oldest roadside service station. This weekend, it was also one of the country’s most expensive pit stops, with diesel priced at 185.9p a litre and petrol at 172.9p.“Do you really want to know what I think? You probably couldn’t print it,” said biker Alan Harrison, who had stopped for a coffee break in the sunshine while heading from Leeds to Bournemouth. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How the war in Iran and its economic fallout could lead to Trump’s defeat
The war is deeply unpopular, and the spike in oil prices will mean long-term high prices across the board for AmericansDonald Trump is still high on the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The easy abduction of the Venezuelan president didn’t just grant Trump control of the nation’s oil and critical minerals resources. It allowed him to throttle the government of Cuba by denying it access to energy, raising the tantalizing prospect that he might bring down a communist regime that has annoyed Washington since 1959.Trump is confident that his joint venture with Israel in Iran will do just as well. The barrage of Iranian missiles and drones aimed at Israel and Iran’s Arab neighbors has done nothing to change Trump’s mind that he can win, regardless of how he defines “winning”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Week in review: How we navigated the Iran war-driven surge in oil that slammed stocks
The S&P 500 suffered its first three-week losing streak in roughly a year.
theguardian.com
Gas prices are soaring – but one Los Angeles gas station is taking it to the extreme
A Chevron station just outside downtown charges more than $8 a gallon – nearly $3 more than the city’s averageIt’s tempting to think that a gas station charging more than $8 a gallon is a glamorous Los Angeles curiosity. Sort of like shopping at Erewhon, the healthy grocery chain that wows with a premium experience – and commands up to $22 a smoothie.But there’s no glamour at the 901 N Alameda Street station. It’s just a dingy Chevron on the edge of LA’s Chinatown, regularly featured in news stories to illustrate the high cost of fuel in California. Midday on Tuesday, the station charged $8.31 for a gallon of regular gas. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump calls on UK to send warships to keep strait of Hormuz open
US president urges nations to deploy vessels to keep key oil shipping route open amid conflict with IranDonald Trump has said the UK should send warships to help keep the strait of Hormuz open.In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president urged the UK and other countries to deploy vessels to the strait amid the conflict with Iran. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Worst nightmare’: anger and frustration as Gulf states bear brunt of war they did not start
Closure of strait of Hormuz puts pressure on region’s economies amid growing resentment about conflict started by US and IsraelMiddle East crisis – live updatesAn eerie quiet hangs over Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial port. Usually a thriving maritime hub of the United Arab Emirates, now ships stand docked and silent. Not far out along the hazy horizon, a backlog of hundreds of tankers have lined up in recent days, halted along a waterway flooded with danger.Any vessel heading past Ras Al Khaimah out to the Arabian Sea must traverse the world’s most treacherous strip of water for shipping today: the strait of Hormuz. Just over 20 nautical miles from Ras Al Khaimah, two oil tankers heading for the strait were attacked by Iranian missiles this week, one catching fire. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Heating oil support 'needs to be delivered now'
Rachel Reeves says the Treasury is also looking at "different options" to help households most vulnerable to soaring energy bills.
cnbc.com
The biggest release of emergency oil stockpiles in history was announced. Why crude may keep rising
Oil prices have surged more than 17% since the International Energy Agency announced the largest release of crude stockpiles in its 50-year history.
theguardian.com
Germany misses climate targets as emissions barely fall in 2025
Greenhouse gases dropped just 0.1% last year as environment minister criticises lack of improvementGreenhouse gas emissions in Germany have again missed targets set by the Climate Protection Act and barely fell at all in 2025.Emissions decreased by just 0.1% last year compared to the previous year, according to data from the German Environment Agency. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I was charged double for oil I already paid for'
Customers say they are facing inflated prices due to "unfair" practices from suppliers.
theguardian.com
Meta and Google trial: are infinite scroll and autoplay creating addicts?
Features woven into the fabric of platforms have been central to landmark social media harm case in US. How do they work?It was as “easy as ABC”, claimed the lawyer prosecuting a landmark social media harm case against Meta and Google which heard closing arguments this week. The defendants were guilty, said Mark Lanier, of “addicting the brains of children”. Not true, replied the tech companies. Meta insisted providing young people with a “safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work”.Features such as autoplay videos, infinite scrolling and constantly chirruping alerts woven into the fabric of online platforms were central to the six-week trial in Los Angeles, which has been compared to the cases against tobacco companies in the 1990s. But how do these features work and what are their consequences? Are they creating addicts rather than users or are they just giving consumers more of what they want? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The sums don’t add up’: UK farmers struggle as Iran war drives up costs
Prices of crucial farming inputs such as fuel and fertiliser skyrocketed just before the spring planting seasonThe small green oilseed rape plants are buffeted by the wind on a blustery spring day. Sown last August, the crop is starting to shoot up and should be ready for harvesting in July, when it can be turned into cooking oil or biofuel.The peaceful 230-hectare (568-acre) arable farm owned by James Cox on the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire is a world away from the conflict in the Middle East. However, the consequences of US and Israeli strikes on Iran – and Tehran’s retaliation – are already rippling out to affect Cox and Britain’s other food producers. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Everything is going up’: Americans struggle with affordability despite Trump’s claims
US workers are finding it difficult to afford basic necessities as the president claims ‘the economy is roaring back’US workers are still struggling with the cost of living despite Donald Trump’s campaign promises to fix the US affordability crisis.The Guardian spoke to workers as an exclusive poll showed cross-party concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of the US economy. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
New study raises concerns about AI chatbots fueling delusional thinking
First major study on ‘AI psychosis’ suggests chatbots can encourage delusions among vulnerable peopleA new scientific review raises concerns about how chatbots powered by artificial intelligence may encourage delusional thinking, especially in vulnerable people.A summary of existing evidence on artificial intelligence-induced psychosis was published last week in the Lancet Psychiatry, highlighting how chatbots can encourage delusional thinking – though possibly only in people who are already vulnerable to psychotic symptoms. The authors advocate for clinical testing of AI chatbots in conjunction with trained mental health professionals. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
War prompts Europeans to switch holidays away from eastern Mediterranean
Summer holidaymakers opting for ‘more familiar, easy-to-reach locations’ as travel industry counts cost of Middle East conflictHolidaymakers who had planned to visit the eastern Mediterranean this summer are moving their trips to the west and the Caribbean because of the US-Israel war on Iran, travel companies have said.Travellers from the UK and mainland Europe are increasingly swapping their holiday destinations away from Cyprus, Turkey and Greece towards Italy, Spain, Malta and Croatia, as the region around the Middle East grapples with flight cancellations and airspace closures. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Iran war fuel price hikes 'put our firm at risk'
Drivers and businesses say the rising price of fuel is putting their livelihoods at risk.
bbc.com
Londoners 'disproportionately' affected by fraud
According to the City of London Police, some 40% of fraud victims nationally are in the capital
theguardian.com
Fallouts and financial woes: inside Heston Blumenthal’s sinking empire
Current and ex-staff claim demise of London restaurant can be traced back to the departure of chef’s right-hand manDinner by Heston was once one of the world’s most revered restaurants, known for its decadent and unusual dishes such as the “meat fruit”.But Heston Blumenthal announced this week that he is winding down operations at the two Michelin-star restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, London, saying it was because the tenancy had “finished”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Wealthy British nationals fleeing Gulf conflict bypass UK to avoid tax bills
High-net-worth residents of UAE heading to Ireland and France to wait out missile attacks before tax year endsWealthy UK nationals fleeing war in the Gulf are seeking sanctuary in countries such as Ireland and France to avoid hefty tax bills back home.In the face of possible demands from HM Revenue and Customs, high-net-worth individuals who had been living in the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries are hoping to wait out the missile and drone attacks elsewhere rather than return to the UK. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Shockingly bad’: Nissan Leaf drivers voice anger over app shutdown
Carmaker’s decision to drop NissanConnect EV app on relatively recent cars fuels warnings from expertsOwners of some Nissan Leaf electric vehicles are angry after the carmaker announced it would shut down an app that lets them remotely control battery charging and other functions.Drivers of Leaf cars made before May 2019 and the e-NV200 van (produced until 2022) have been told that the NissanConnect EV app linked to their vehicles will “cease operation” from 30 March. This means they will lose remote services, including turning on the heating, and some map features. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
NHS and MoD will be urged to buy British tech to drive growth amid Iran crisis
Treasury minister Spencer Livermore trails new strategy as chancellor pins hopes on benefits of AI amid global uncertaintyThe NHS and Ministry of Defence will be urged to buy British tech, as the government pins its hopes on the benefits of artificial intelligence to kickstart growth in the face of the Iran crisis, Treasury minister Spencer Livermore has said.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will restate her economic strategy in a high profile lecture on Tuesday, just as rocketing oil prices have raised fears of higher inflation and weaker growth. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Invisible datacentres and capricious chips: is UK’s AI bubble about to burst?
Datacentre investment boom is one of the biggest infrastructure gambles of this era, and Britain may be uniquely exposedStargate was to be the world’s biggest AI investment: a $500bn infrastructure project to “secure American leadership in AI”. Never shy of hyperbole, its key backer, the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, promised “massive economic benefit for the entire world” with facilities to help people “use AI to elevate humanity”.Now, OpenAI appears to be dropping out of a part of the deal – the expansion of a flagship datacentre stretching across a swathe of land in Abilene, Texas, which has become one of the most visible manifestations of a frenzy of investment in the chips and power plants required to build and run AI. There has been a breakdown in negotiations over project financing, as well as the timeline of when the expanded capacity might come online. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Chancellor to offer support over rising heating oil costs
Rachel Reeves says the Treasury is also looking at "different options" to help households most vulnerable to soaring energy bills.
theguardian.com
Fake rooms, props and a script to lure victims: inside an abandoned Cambodia scam centre
Sprawling compound, including mock-up banks and police offices, uncovered by Thai military during border clashesIt is as if you have walked into a branch of one of Vietnam’s banks. A row of customer service desks, divided by plastic screens, with landline phones, promotional leaflets and staff business cards. A seated waiting area and a private meeting room. All of it features the OCB bank’s logo, or its trademark green colour.This is not a genuine bank branch, however. It’s one of various “mock up” rooms inside a sprawling compound on the Thai-Cambodian border, where criminal groups are accused of using elaborate and industrial-scale fraud schemes to trick victims into handing over money. Continue reading...
bbc.com
She spent 16 hours on Instagram in a day. It's up to a jury to decide if Meta is to blame
A landmark lawsuit will set the stage for thousands of people who say social media platforms are intentionally addictive.
theguardian.com
The environmental cost of datacentres is rising. Is it time to quit AI?
As the QuitGPT movement gains momentum, should people concerned about the environmental impacts of AI consider opting out?Change by degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprintGot a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.comIt’s only a few years on from the release of ChatGPT but the race to plug artificial intelligence into everything has sparked a surge in datacentres, with escalating environmental costs.Globally, datacentre power demand is growing four times faster than all other sectors, according to the International Energy Agency, and is on track to exceed Japan’s electricity use by 2030. Continue reading...
bbc.com
We're not profiteering on fuel. But my staff still face abuse
Independent retailer Goran Raven says the higher oil price is "horrific" for him as well as his customers.
bbc.com
Judge says 'no evidence' to justify Federal Reserve probe
Jeanine Pirro said she would appeal the ruling, which blocks the subpoenas she issued to the central bank.
cnbc.com
Elon Musk says xAI must be 'rebuilt' as co-founder exodus continues, SpaceX IPO awaits
With xAI now in the hands of SpaceX, Elon Musk says he's rebuilding the artificial intelligence company following high-level departures.
theguardian.com
Judge blocks justice department from subpoenaing Fed chair Jerome Powell
Trump DoJ’s investigation was purportedly about the management of the central bank’s renovationA federal judge on Friday blocked the justice department from serving subpoenas to Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell in an inquiry purported to be about the management of the central bank’s renovation.Powell disclosed the surprise investigation on 11 January, and described the move as a threat to Fed independence and part of the Trump administration’s attempts to pressure the Fed to cut rates. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Oil closes above $100 for second day as market shrugs off U.S. measures to reduce prices during Iran war
Traders are continuing to monitor developments in the Middle East. Overnight, Trump hinted that an end to the conflict was not imminent.
theguardian.com
UK petrol retailers claim ‘inflammatory language’ of ministers led to staff abuse
Trade body attends meeting with Rachel Reeves, hours after saying it was pulling out over suggestions of price gouging• Watchdog puts UK fuel retailers ‘on notice’ over profiteering from Iran warThe trade body for the UK’s petrol station industry has got into a row with the government after claiming the “inflammatory language” used by ministers to describe rising pump prices may have incited abuse against forecourt staff.The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said ministers had for several days suggested that forecourts might be “price gouging” and “ripping off” motorists as global oil markets have surged in response to the war in Iran. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Petrol retailers in row with government over 'rip off' accusations
They briefly threatened to pull out of a government meeting, accusing ministers of using "inflammatory language" over rising fuel prices.
theguardian.com
Making affordable housing a distant prospect | Letter
The towns newly crowned as ‘affordable’ are simply the latest recipients of metropolitan overflow, says Richard EltringhamYour piece on “affordable commuter hotspots” was a welcome reminder that, in Britain, affordability is now a theoretical concept best observed from a moving train (Revealed: the new affordable commuter hotspots in Great Britain, 7 March). Only here could a house become “affordable” the moment you attach a season ticket priced like a minor surgical procedure. It’s the sort of logic that would make sense only to someone who has never attempted either.We’ve quietly accepted that the solution to unaffordable housing is … distance. Not building homes, not reforming planning, just encouraging people to live far enough away that the numbers look respectable on a spreadsheet. The towns newly crowned as “affordable” are simply the latest recipients of metropolitan overflow, rewarded with more commuters and none of the infrastructure. Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK economy flatlines in January as people cut back on eating out
Analysts had been expecting 0.2% growth for the UK economy at the beginning of the year.
bbc.com
New US trade probe targets EU, Canada, UK over forced labour
The US said it would examine whether countries are effectively blocking goods made with "forced labour".
cnbc.com
U.S. allows temporary purchases of Russian oil already at sea to stabilize energy markets
The U.S. has temporarily authorized the purchase of Russian oil stranded at sea to stabilize energy markets.
cnbc.com
All six crew members killed in KC-135 refueling plane crash in Iraq, U.S. military says
The KC-135 is used to refuel other aircraft in mid-air. This is the fourth reported aircraft loss since the Iran war started.
cnbc.com
European stocks close lower as oil prices hold near $100 a barrel
European stocks closed lower Friday as the conflict in the Middle East brought mixed signals to markets.
cnbc.com
Fourth-quarter GDP revised down to just 0.7% growth; January core inflation was 3.1%
The PCE price index for January was expected to show headline inflation at 2.9% and core at 3.1%.
bbc.com
US easing of Russia oil sanctions draws criticism
Leaders in Europe and Canada have pushed back against Washington's move to allow Russia to sell stranded oil.
theguardian.com
Tell us: has the conflict in the Middle East affected your household or business costs?
We’d like to hear from people in the UK who have seen the cost of goods or services increase or experienced delays, cancellations or other disruptionsThe conflict in the Middle East, disruption to global shipping routes and rising oil prices are beginning to have knock-on effects on supply chains and energy markets around the world.Petrol prices have begun to rise, while turbulence in financial markets has pushed up mortgage rates. Higher transport and supply costs can also feed through into the price of goods and services. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why has Trump eased sanctions on Russian oil - and will it help Putin?
The US said easing sanctions on Russian oil would provide only a limited financial boost to Putin.
bbc.com
Why both partners need to be across a couple's money
Martin Lewis explains why both partners in a relationship need to know what financial products they hold.
cnbc.com
Cuba’s president confirms talks with U.S. — but warns an agreement will take time
It comes at a time when the Caribbean island is grappling with a worsening economic crisis.
theguardian.com
British politics is hooked on flashy fake numbers – and the AI investment debacle proves it | Jonathan Portes
A claim that the UK is attracting billions of pounds in AI investment has been debunked. That’s no surprise when our establishment runs on dubious ‘good news’One trillion dollars. That’s the amount of financial aid Gordon Brown triumphantly announced at the 2009 London G20 summit. (I contributed my own two cents here.) Except it wasn’t exactly real: the number was a mixture of already promised apples and aspirational future oranges.So it should hardly be a surprise that when ministers proclaimed last year that the UK was attracting billions of pounds of new investment in AI, they were being more than a little economical with the truth. As a Guardian investigation revealed, much of it turns out not to be new at all: existing datacentres rented rather than built, a supercomputer site not yet even started, promised investments that might never arrive and claims of job creation that have little or no connection to reality. The headline numbers are impressive. The underlying reality rather less so.Jonathan Portes is professor of economics and public policy at King’s College London and a former senior civil servant Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Iran’s 'oil lifeline’ has been left untouched in the conflict. What happens if it's seized?
Analysts say any attempt to attack or seize Iran’s strategic oil hub is likely to be fraught with risk.
cnbc.com
Tesla's China sales climb in the first two months of 2026 while BYD numbers drop
Sales of Tesla's China-made electric vehicles rose in the first two months of 2026, from the year before, regaining lost ground to China's BYD.
cnbc.com
India's Modi reaches out to Iran as energy crunch fears grip the South Asian nation
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz for longer could deepen the worries of the world's fastest-growing economy
theguardian.com
What is the strait of Hormuz and can the US stop Iran from blocking it?
Energy prices have soared as Iranian strikes and reports of mines prevent ships from transiting the chokepointMiddle East crisis – live updatesMore than 1,000 cargo ships, mainly oil and gas tankers, have been blocked from transiting the strait of Hormuz by the Israeli-US war against Iran after Tehran closed the key maritime passage.Officials in the Trump administration have suggested ways to get ships moving again, but amid continued Iranian strikes on tankers, and reports that Iran has started mining the narrow waterway, the proposed naval escorts have failed to materialise – even as energy prices have soared. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Who is really footing the AI energy bill? Inside the debate about data center electricity costs
The hyperscalers racing to build the data centers needed for the AI boom have a PR crisis on their hands, but the industry is not taking the problem lying down.
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: Chip supply chains and data center risks — the tech sector’s Iran problem
Uncertainty hits global chip supply chains and Middle East-based AI projects.
cnbc.com
Many Dubai expats fled as the war in the Middle East escalated. Those that stayed say life is 'functioning but tense'
Iran has launched a volley of drone and missiles in the Middle East, including against the UAE, following U.S.-Israeli strikes on the country.
theguardian.com
Who are the key figures in the sewage crisis, and where are they now?
With anger stoked by Channel 4’s drama Dirty Business, we look at what has happened to some of the main playersWater companies have been in the public eye for the wrong reasons again recently. South West Water was in the dock pleading guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption, while the regulator fined South East Water £22.5m for repeated supply failures that affected more than 280,000 people over three years.As the full scale of the sewage pollution scandal has been revealed to the public over the past six years, key figures working for the regulators and the privatised companies have been heavily criticised. Channel 4’s drama Dirty Business has focused attention on individuals at the heart of the scandal. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What on earth is going on with the oil price?
Oil price moves have made headlines since the Iran conflict started - but why have there been such sharp swings?
bbc.com
Dharshini David: Economy on shaky ground even before Iran war
The government's hopes that 2026 would be the year when growth picks up are at risk of being scuppered.
bbc.com
'My hotel bill is £12,000': British holidaymakers stranded by Iran war
Flights are restricted due to the conflict leaving people stuck running up bills for rooms and food.
cnbc.com
U.S. 'misadventure' in Iran has no clear exit strategy, Russia's UK ambassador says
His comments to CNBC come as the U.S. and Israeli-led war appears poised to enter its third week.
bbc.com
Post Office scandal 'has taken 21 years of my life'
Seema Misra calls for accountability as a report by MPs raises concerns about ongoing delays.
theguardian.com
Bleak economic data shows UK plc in trouble well before Middle East crisis
Zero GDP growth in January will not help Rachel Reeves claim she has put UK in position to weather oil price stormBusiness live – latest updatesUK economy unexpectedly flatlined in January, ONS data showsEven before Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury on Iran unleashed higher oil prices, threatening the outlook for growth and inflation, the UK economy was flatlining.That’s the bleak message in the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which showed zero GDP growth in January. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
UK economy fails to grow in January ahead of Iran war energy price shock
Economists had been expecting gross domestic product to add 0.2%.
theguardian.com
Dynasty: The Murdochs review – who cares which billionaire will control even more billions?
This Netflix’s documentary about Rupert’s warring children blurs the lines with HBO drama Succession. But, ultimately, it’s a depressing catalogue of nepotism that it’s hard to be enthused about‘To explain the Murdochs, you have to understand the television show Succession.” So quips New York Times writer Jim Rutenberg a few minutes into this four-part documentary about Rupert Murdoch’s empire – and, specifically, his children’s battle for control of it when he dies.It’s a canny opener. Jesse Armstrong’s series about media mogul Logan Roy and his warring children, thought to be based on the Murdochs, was a gripping smash hit, and this documentary is soon excitedly matching the eldest Murdoch siblings – independent Prudence from Rupert’s first marriage, dutiful favourite Lachlan, “problem child” James and brilliant but overlooked (pesky X chromosomes!) Elisabeth – to their Succession counterparts. (Rupert’s two younger daughters from his third marriage aren’t in the running.) But don’t be fooled: despite the suspenseful strings and off-key piano motifs, this is no Emmy-award-winning drama. Rather, it is an exhausting if exhaustive rundown of all things Murdoch, with the siblings’ manoeuvrings often the least interesting part. In the documentary, as in life, they are overshadowed by their dad.Dynasty: The Murdochs is on Netflix now Continue reading...
bbc.com
PwC planning to increase the number of graduates it takes on
Last year the consultancy cut its graduate intake, but UK boss Marco Amitrano says it is still worth getting a degree.
theguardian.com
Victorian homes for sale in England – in pictures
From a grand country house built by a merchant seaman to a rustic railway worker’s cottage within historic city walls Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. launches fresh Section 301 probes into 60 economies over forced-labor trade practices
The forced-labor probes follow Section 301 investigations launched on Wednesday, targeting excess industrial capacity across more than a dozen economies.
bbc.com
Can Ukraine's war-torn wheatfields be cleansed?
Researchers take 8,000 soil samples from battlefields to see if it is safe to grow crops.
theguardian.com
Do we want to keep fixing the same issue? Unlearned lessons from the first big oil crisis
As energy prices tripled in the 1970s due to Middle Eastern wars, Scandinavia, France and the Netherlands sped up green transitionWhen Middle Eastern wars sparked an oil crisis in the 1970s, tripling energy prices and throwing economies into chaos, some countries looked beyond short-term solutions. The French made nuclear the pillar of their power system. Scandinavians insulated buildings and funnelled waste heat into homes. The Dutch built bike lanes where others wanted motorways. The Danes developed wind turbines.Such steps cleaned filthy air and cut imports from autocrats but took a back seat when Russia invaded Ukraine half a century later. Europe raced to buy gas from the US and Middle East. Policies to roll out renewables by cutting red tape helped reduce dependence, but calls to use less energy and reduce waste were muted. Industry lobbying and populist backlash have since sabotaged efforts to phase out petrol cars and fossil boilers. Continue reading...
bbc.com
KPop Demon Hunters to return as Netflix announces sequel
The sequel brings back the co-directors of the first film, which was a smash-hit for the streaming service.
bbc.com
Qantas agrees to pay $74m over Covid-19 travel voucher refunds
The case relates to cancelled flights during the pandemic, for which customers were given credits instead of cash.
bbc.com
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?
bbc.com
Oil price back above $100 despite deal to release record amount of reserves
It comes as Iranian attacks on ships intensify in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.
bbc.com
Pottery firm Denby to appoint administrators
The famous company said rising costs had "squeezed the business financially".
bbc.com
Why animals will replace historical figures on bank notes
British wildlife will replace historical figures on the next series of Bank of England banknote
bbc.com
Jo Malone sued for using her own name in collaboration with Zara
The perfumier sold the rights to her name in 1999 but has previously said she regretted the move.
bbc.com
Lloyds, Bank of Scotland and Halifax apps showed customers other users' transactions
The Lloyds Banking Group customers reported being able to view payments and charges from other sources.
cnbc.com
These charts show the size of Europe's defense boom, as companies take stock of the Iran war
Leonardo said Thursday that it is on "a path of strong growth," as defense companies see opportunities in the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
bbc.com
Customer sues Costco for tariff refunds
The lawsuit is an indication of the complexities looming over a potential $166bn in tariff refunds.
cnbc.com
Why gold hasn’t moved since the Iran conflict — and where it could go next
Though the war in Iran has continued for almost two weeks, the price of the yellow metal has barely moved.
bbc.com
How Iran war laid bare the world's reliance on Gulf oil and gas
Countries around the world are feeling the impact of the conflict and the resulting energy price shock.
cnbc.com
The two oil pipelines helping Saudi Arabia and UAE bypass the Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline and the UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline are thought to be able to help partially offset the Strait of Hormuz blockage.
theguardian.com
‘Everyone is chasing dreams’: as wages soar will EFL lose appeal for foreign investors?
The Gillingham owner, Brad Galinson, issues warning and wants to find a fix as costs spiral amid ‘the Wrexham effect’Brad Galinson has a warning for anyone looking to invest in English football’s lower leagues. “Almost every single club in the EFL is about seven days away from suffering the same fate as Sheffield Wednesday,” the Gillingham owner says. “Everyone is chasing dreams.”Many have blamed the “Wrexham effect” for spiralling costs as investors from all over the world have flocked to buy clubs down the pyramid. Only two in League One have a playing budget of less than £3.5m this season compared with 13 two years ago, and several are thought to be operating on more than £10m. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Exploit every vulnerability’: rogue AI agents published passwords and overrode anti-virus software
Exclusive: Lab tests discover ‘new form of insider risk’ with artificial intelligence agents engaging in autonomous, even ‘aggressive’ behavioursRobert Booth UK technology editorRogue artificial intelligence agents have worked together to smuggle sensitive information out of supposedly secure systems, in the latest sign cyber-defences may be overwhelmed by unforeseen scheming by AIs.With companies increasingly asking AI agents to carry out complex tasks in internal systems, the behaviour has sparked concerns that supposedly helpful technology could pose a serious inside threat. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What role has cyber warfare played in Iran?
Militaries are often cagey about their cyber activities. But the US has hinted at the role it has played.
cnbc.com
Powering AI: Europe switches on its first microgrid-connected data center
AVK and Pure Data Centers’ microgrid facility in Ireland could mark the region’s first step toward a privately powered ecosystem.
bbc.com
John Lewis to pay first staff bonus for four years
The department store and Waitrose supermarket owner will give workers a bonus equivalent to an extra week's pay.
bbc.co.uk
The Inquiry
How Poland’s economy became one of Europe’s fastest-growing success stories
theguardian.com
Fuel tankers burst into flames in Iraqi waters after suspected Iranian boat attacks – video
Iranian boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers, which were seen ablaze after projectiles struck three vessels in Iraqi waters, port officials said. The ships targeted in late-night armed boat attacks in the Gulf near Iraq were the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-flagged Zefyros. Continue reading...
bbc.com
A small US grocer is calling out the lower prices at big chains
It is 'impossible for us to compete', says the boss of a New York grocery store.
theguardian.com
How much worse could Iran war make the cost of living crisis? – The Latest
Rising oil prices and market turmoil as a result of the war in the Middle East are fuelling fears the cost of living crisis could get even tougher. Energy bills, mortgage rates and petrol prices could all surge in the fallout from the conflict. So how much could the war tighten the screws on our personal finances? Lucy Hough speaks to the deputy editor of the Guardian’s money section, Rupert Jones – watch on YouTubeHow will war in the Middle East affect your finances? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Five things to know about Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei
"The Iranians are showing defiance by choosing the son of Khamenei," a former diplomat told CNBC.
bbc.com
The Aldi-style disruptors who could be about to shake up the vets market
As pet owners complain of rising prices, independent practices want to take on the big chains.
theguardian.com
How Iran has used the strait of Hormuz to throttle oil and gas – a visual guide
The Tehran regime has weaponised geography in retaliation for the attacks by the US and Israel Global oil markets have recorded some of the biggest price swings in history this week after the US-Israeli war with Iran throttled the flow of Middle Eastern crude through the strait of Hormuz.The narrow waterway south of Iran is one of the world’s most important trade arteries, through which a fifth of global oil and seaborne gas is shipped from production facilities and refineries in the Gulf to buyers around the world. Continue reading...
bbc.com
GPS jamming: The invisible battle in the Middle East
GPS jamming has made navigation hazardous in the Gulf, spurring efforts to develop alternatives.
bbc.com
Spain's migrants welcome amnesty: 'It will help us in every way'
Madrid cites humanitarian and economic reasons to give undocumented workers legal status.
bbc.co.uk
What in the World
Iran says it has closed the vital shipping channel to global trade.
bbc.com
Can snacks help you sleep?
Chocolates, bars, gummies and drinks promise to help you sleep, but is the science behind them sound?
bbc.com
We have more privacy controls yet less privacy than ever
Has online privacy become "a luxury not a right" for us all in 2026?
bbc.com
Know when to fold them: the tech inspired by origami
Origami techniques can add strength to structures without adding bulk.
bbc.com
Deepfake attack: 'Many people could have been cheated'
The boss of the Bombay Stock Exchange was recently targeted in what is a growing global problem.
bbc.com
Why you can't get a signal at festivals and sports matches
Connecting up music and sports events to the internet is a massive undertaking.
bbc.com
The family-owned soda firm that still uses returnable glass bottles
Soft drinks company Twig's Beverage has a loyal following for its old-fashioned approach.
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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